This invention relates to an automatic routing layout system, and more particularly, to a computer program for the fully automatic layout of hybrid microcircuits.
In this design of hybrid microcircuits, the common approach to route layout is the interactive graphics procedure whereby the designer creates a specific layout and uses a computer to store and, in some cases, verify the entries. The layout is actually created by the designer with record-keeping assistance from the computer. Design in the interactive mode requires the user to spend large amounts of time creating and describing the routing solution to the machine and to be constantly wary of introducing errors into the layout.
An automatic layout system, in comparison to an interactive layout system, may be defined as one which accepts input data in the form of a network list, element description, and program options from the user and automatically and independently routes all module interconnections to produce an output containing all necessary artwork instructions to fabricate the hybrid specified. The layout is produced solely from the program algorithm operation on the input data without user intervention.